handmade catch-up

I did all this cool adventuring and told you the high points only to completely forget that I have some fruits of that labor! The labor being... all the cool adventuring. Well in October (which seems so far away now) I went here:

pretty much. the coolest place ever. ya know besides Argo and most local yarn shops.

here are some FRUITS!

We got to make cutouts of styrofoam so you could layer paper on top of your paper. I made the bird and the moustache, in true Abbers form, and they were a hit! I love the ragged and curled edges of the paper. My favorite is the oatmeal bird on the vibrant green. The lighter color was made with newspaper and magazines - if you look close you'll see a tiiiiny clipping haha. It was a cool day. I'd really like to take their letterpress class. It sounds so awesome!

remoulade

i don't even understand how this story didn't end up here but here it is.

there was a mouse in my apartment like 3 weeks ago and honestly I can't tell you how. We live on the 3rd floor. THE THIRD floor! It must have ninja-army crawled its way up the gas pipe (and how did it not DIE from asphyxiation) and my niece spotted it. "Too big to be a bug." Those words struck fear in my bones. I remember having a mouse in the house on Dixie. I came in the kitchen and we stared at each other before running off to our respective holes.

So we told Autumn (the niece) to go back and check, with my mom in tow, cuz apparently she LIKES disease-ridden rodents and sure enough there was a mouse. What happened next can't really be described but I'm going to try. There were 4 people in the apartment - my mom, myself, my niece Autumn and my nephew Aaron - and there were 4 completely DIFFERENT emotional reactions to this tiny, scared, little, fat mouse.

Mom - ends up yelling, "THERE'S A MOUSE! THERE'S A MOUSE! THERE'S A MOUSE!" while turning in endless cirlces on a rug in our living room. Then she burst into tears and got angry and accepted it. My mother went through all 5 stages of grief in 5 minutes.
Autumn - as aforementioned, wanted to befriend the mouse and named him Alfalfa. My grandmother named him Alfeefee.
I - FREAKED OUT and stayed off the floor as if it were mouse infested hot lava.
Aaron - the processor, stayed quiet and then asked if anyone had a gun so he could potentially shoot the mouse.
*scenario* "This is your nightly 10 o'clock news. In the sleepy village of Flossmoor there was a quadruple homicide allegedly accidental but no one's alive to tell the story! The only witness? A grey mouse spotted under the stove in the kitchen." that's how it would have went down.

So there were 4 vortexes of emotions happening all the while this mouse is just CHILLIN' under our stove. My mom went into army warfare mode after the brief teary scene and tried to call a bunch of people. Meanwhile my niece is still fawning over it and my nephew is still pensive with the occasional, "........So is it gone yet?" I close EVERY DOOR in the apartment and my mom YELLED at me for it!
Mom: "I can't be claustrophobic in my own house OPEN THAT DOOR!"
Me: "MOM!... MOM! MOM!... MOM!...MOM!!MOM! MOM!" *hands flailing wildly*

Yes, in case of a mouse keep everything OUT IN THE OPEN. What?!?!?!

Finally we contacted a friend who took my mom mouse trap shopping and we caught it in a few days. I told my niece who was distraught. My mom said I shouldn't have told her buuuut I didn't care! DISEASES! That word alone justifies my case. I win.

Even though it's been however many weeks since we caught it I still flip the light on in the kitchen, peek my head around and THEN enter the kitchen - ya know just in case any more army warefare ready mice decide to invade again.

We still laugh over this story mostly over the 4 vortexes of emotion that happened. I wish I could show you how it was... it's way better when I tell it.
Did I tell you I stole something from Jewel once? Ah, another day. :0)

misunderstandings of flapjack

Some friends of mine decided my family needs to be on television. It's true... we do... we're absolutely out of the box in terms of families. I'll be posting stories of dumb stuff we do, dumb stuff I say and things like that. So that means I'll be posting a LOT more : ) HAHA

For example today:

It's cleaning day. We have an annual cleaning day before each high holiday of the year because family comes over. We revamped the living room to accommodate the tree and put up like... 4 picture frames. There's lots of Pledge and Fabuloso involved - it's just what we do.

Anyway my mom is just outside my room doing something that involves rugs and cleaning them. She comes into my room and looks at the scratches on the bottom of my door and goes, "Ooh, a dog lived here."

I'm at my computer and turn slowly around, "Mom! I know I have a lot of hair and that I shed but there is NO REASON to call me a dog. I'm gonna clean up! Promise."

My mom looks confused. "Abby! Look at the door. AN ACTUAL DOG used to live here. Why would I call you a dog haha"

"Oh... I thought you were trying to drop a hint that I needed to clean..."

my bad... I mean my mom usually will just SAY clean up not be like 'hey mangy mutt clean your JUNK up!'

or yesterday when my mom told my grandma not to bring food to Thanksgiving dinner because she is getting older and doesn't need to do the brunt of the work. She wants to help so we give her a few things. This year it was macaroni and cheese and sweet potato pies. This is the gist of the conversation she had with my mom.

Grandma: OK, so I'm making a ham for here (meaning her house) and some dressing. Do you need me to bring dressing?

Mom: *giant pause* No, mom that's... we're... we're good.

Grandma: Oh, ok I'm making greens for here and potato salad. Are you makin' potato salad? I could bring the potato salad. Oh I'm makin' sweet potato pies, too. OO! and I'm bringin' the cake right?

Mom: Mom, I'M making the cake... but I mean you can... uh...

NOT ONCE did my Grandma even mention the macaroni which we THOUGHT she was bringing!!! She does this every year. We'll give her a small task so she's not overwhelmed and she like bogarts the menu and brings EVERYTHING. I swear to bob next year she'll break out and be like, "This duck was ON SALE for $0.39 a pound! I just had to get it!" Plus we have this running joke about Peking duck. I don't... actually remember how that started, what it's about or why it's still funny but all three are still goin strong. That's just us.

Tomorrow I'll tell you the story of the mouse... cuz the world needs to know. I'll have to figure out how to write that down it works much better when I tell it. I guess that's the good thing about writing EXACTLY how you talk... eh? eh? right???

triple chapel! triple chapel! triple chapel!

try sayin' that... it's difficult right? I knows.

Last weekend was my Olivet adventure. It was extra interesting from start to finish. It started out with me going to the gas station to fill up my tire. In all my awesomeness I ended up DEFLATING my tire while trying to inflate it. Yep, you heard correct. I let more air out while trying to put air in. This is no small feat. It's a learned SKILL, passed down from ancient Incans who invented the car and used air pumps CENTURIES before Henry Ford. *ahem* Sounds plausible right? After freaking out and semi crying/hyperventilating I drove to my trusty mechanic who filled it right up after expressing concern at how dangerously low my tire was. I explained the situation and he told me to keep an eye on it. Did I mention I paid $1.50 in quarters at the gas station to DEFLATE my tire? Did I mention my trusty mechanic will fill your tires for FREE anytime? You live and learn.

After finally getting on the road and making it down to B-town I trekked over to the field, where I had to pay 10 bucks to get in!! I would have gotten in for free if the tire mishap didn't happen. I haven't had to pay for a football/basketball game in 9 years. NINE! Travesty. Blood thirsty money suckers! I'm better. The game... well our football team seriously sucks tennis balls. I did enjoy seeing band friends, including this one kid I don't even KNOW who called me a hero. I mean I am a lil bit... if you don't know you better ask somebody!

I watched halftime and commented on sexy flute angles and my signature move (seriously I'm a lil awesome!) I went and had lunch with Sarah, bf, Crystal and Katherine. It was good to see everyone and, of course, the Chinese food was fantastical. Shout out to Sweet Annie's who still holds the record for the best red velvet cupcakes in the WORLD. It's the frosting. I think it's whipped cream cheese frosting. It's lighter than air, which almost justifies eating way too many in one sitting.

During dinner I realized I triple booked myself. I committed myself to eating with Sarah and Kat, Josh and April, AND Maggie. I honestly don't know how I did it. I stayed the longest with Sarah and Kat cuz I told them first. Then I went to El Burrito with Maggie for a $1 churro and horchata (cinnamon-y loooove) for like half an hour then... well then I went back to the music building for a potty break (heh) then to Panda Express/Oberweis for NO food and Josh, April, Sammy, Faith and MATT. WHITE! Busiest day. ever. All of it was fun though!

It was nice to see everybody and that people actually wanted to SEE me. Exactly the opposite of living up here. All in all a good weekend of CRAZY awesomeness.

Next weekend is the gospel choir concert! yaaaay. Let's hope I don't have to fill up any tires before then.
p.s. happy 100th post! : )

writin' this down!

This keeps poppin up in my head and I want to get it out:

I want to own a knitting shop/bakery one day. I think it would be awesome. As soon as I typed this my heart went a little sour. I don't know if it's nerves or the wrong thing to want. I think my mom could work there and my niece and sister as well. It would just be a family run... cute little business. I like it. And my heart is still like, "NOOOO!" lol mixed emotions...

Also, goin' down to Olivet this weekend for homecoming and copious amounts of eating haha. I think I'm going for the gospel choir concert as well in two weeks. I can't resist good music/dancing all for Jesus whaaat?! haha

b the dubs i finished 1 hat. workin on the reincarnation of the other one now. same style. same button. same color. same AWESOMENESS.

preeeviiiiew!

beware! longest entry EVERS.

My other life in the city: day 2

So I ended up staying the night with Anisha. I sat in the library with her for 7 hours while she worked/studied. I totally watched 3 straight hours of Ugly Betty and knitted, while the rest of the students in the library were like... threatening to kill me as they FREAKED OUT about an exam. I felt bad. I should have made a sign hanging from my back that said I DON'T GO HERE! and I probably would have gotten along better with everyone.

We ran back in the rain to her apt and I FINALLY... FINALLYYYYYYYY got to eat Indian food. I have known anisha for 9 years and NOT ONCE have I had even a morsel of Indian food. Ya JERK! But I had, um, I think they're called kotlets and samosas. Both were REALLY good and now I'm pretty sure I need more.

I helped her out with studying. I know a LOT about saccades, foveas, retinas, eye sphincters, eye rectums, pulses, step cells and even some diseases! Anisha told me I'm taking her test next time. My brain's a little weird. It'll retain information then lose it ALL after a time period. It's no good! That's why I can't ever remember any artist's names or works. I have a sensory memory. I can remember sounds, smells, tastes and sight but canNOT for the life of me recall the name haha. I could probably help out with the parts of the eye though! : )

Then I went to visit my mom at NMH not without a quick detour to the new Garrett's where I met the most annoying tourists. They complained about prices of things that they weren't even getting. I wished I could drop kick them back to their home state. You know the type right? Super opinionated halfway upper middle class from Pittsburgh where "this idea of selling popcorn would NEVER last!" It took a good amount of resistance not to turn around and tell them, "PLEASE! RETURN TO PITTSBURGH!" moving on... I relaxed with the mother and knitted more then ventured on to Argo, where I got a free drink. I lurve Argo <3

I made it to my bus (the #36) which I'd never ridden and was on my way! YAY! We got to Clark and I like SPRINTED off because I heard Clark and NOTHING ELSE and thought it was my stop. I was supposed to get off at Clark and Armitage. I got off at Clark and DIVISION. So after bumbling like an idiot I turned back around and lo and behold my BUS WAS STILL THERE! I'm convinced Jesus helped out cuz I would have panicked and forgot that another bus would come... 5 minutes later HA! You live and learn.

I FINALLY made it to Clark and Armitage with the bus driver wishing me, "have a good day young lady." he was so nice i could have hugged him. He didn't make me pay when I got back on! I was just about to find Starbucks when I hear singing. Loud, loud singing. Turns out Ingrid's super fans (mostly known as groupies) were singing all her songs, so I went to stand in line happy that I wasn't alone. When we got inside I figured out that there were NO SEAT NUMBERS and I could sit... anywhere! I tried going front and center on the dance floor but I got shunned by the groupies : (. So I sat and waited for Zack to come with his friends from Olivet. They came (YAY AGAIN) and we got a REALLY good view of the stage on the dance floor. Like I could see Ingrid SO CLEAR.

It was so awesome. It topped Destiny's Child and I say that because I couldn't see Destiny's Child when I saw them (still love you D.C.!!!). She was hilarious and really... AWESOME. It was just the best ever. Now I have a song about Mexican food stuck in my head set to Maybe.

Tip! Don't go to a concert alone. No one goes to a concert alone. I was so tired of waiting for someone to go with, though! I missed like 3 of her Chicago shows, so I just pulled the trigger and went and Zack went as well so I was glad I could meet up with someone eventually. I probably would have stayed front and center if I had someone with me to NOT shun me haha. I will definitely go again whether or not I have someone to go with cuz now I know I can sit, which might be better. I was SO SORE the next day!!!

The concert just affirmed and packed my love for Ingrid's music in quick dry cement. If, one day, you meet me and I have a child named Ingrid or Imogen it's NOT because of any singers. Just. Know.

cheap cheap!

I am guessing that I will devote an entire post and a half to Ingrid Michaelson alone so I better write about this now.

Today I went down, which is actually up, to Columbia College for a cheap paper making class. How I found out about this? I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and one of the main characters is this paper maker... turns out so is the author. I was surfin' on the interwebz lookin for letterpress classes and stumbled upon this little gem. It was 25 bucks meaning it was PERFECT and it sounded so interesting after reading all about the paper making process.

The class was REALLY cool! Of course, I was nervous. I mapped out my route there and back and there and to Anisha's many, MANY, many times. But I made it there 1 minute late because Sunday trains are pretty horrible haha and we dove right in. I learned what a mold and deckle is - the frame and wire mesh that the fibers of whatever you're making paper into settles onto before you dry it. I learned what 'loft' is - how high the fibers are off the mold and deckle once you strain it through and it determines the thickness of your paper. I also learned what couching is (pronounched coo-ching - who knew?!) - the process of transfering pulpy fibers onto... i forget the name haha it's a giant sheet of wet blotting paper... onto that.

I got a lil creative, ya know within my small creative boundaries. It was at the very end when I started to really want to merge and layer. It was really cool. I made a moustache cut out and I am most excited to get that when it's dried.

I'm pretty 'white bread' when it comes to living and surviving in the city, but I want to branch out so bad. Who wants to live in fear all the time as so many of us do without realizing it? I'm so glad I found this class - I mean who goes downtown on a Sunday to make paper for 6 hours?? That's right... Abby does. I want to do more! Get out more! I'm not at the point where I can take the bus by myself at 12 at night, but who really wants to do that as an act of independence. Don't be stupid.

I met some cool girls there. I did not get any information from them. I'm learning. Most thought processes come AFTER the fact. I'll add that to my list of "how to make friends." I need a friend I can talk to EVERY. DAY. or every two days. I'm just that kind of person. Even if it's hi annnnd bye. Sporadic communication classifies that friendship as *giant ugly stamping sound* "NOT REAL." moving on... mmhmm!

Oh did I tell you I almost got beat up by an old lady? She was kidding (and in my class) but I'm fairly sure she could take me. I will NOT met her in a dark alley.

Now I'm here at ICO with Anies til midnight while she studies/works in the library. I am fairly assured I will finish my hat tonight. I had to remake that sucka. I can't go OUT like that! It will be REBORN like... that one sword in LOTR. Narsil. sweet.

Random thoughts: Who had a massive sale on green carpeting and gave it to every church in America? Cuz I just don't get it! I'll say no more...

After my eardrums and I recover from a night of awesome with Ingrid M. I will post! Be on the lookout! Like the two navy guys in Mary Poppins (who i just realized might have been a liiiittle homosexual). "BANKS! DOOO YOOOU HEAR ME!?!"

Reasons why this weekend was awesome.

1) SAW OTHELLO and it was amazing. I wanted to leap everywhere. Why would you walk after seeing that? When you crash into something and twist your ankle then... you remember you aren't a ballerina. *coughs* yeah...

2) Ate at Lou Malnati's for yummylicious pizza extravaganzas. and it was just like that.

3) I FINALLY got a caramel apple shake on Sunday after work. 'Twas just as I remembered. Exci-tasty.

4) Monday was productive! I went to the cleaners - right? i mean who goes to the cleaners? when it's under your apt IIII DOOO! - i did laundry and went to the post office. OK this isn't a stretch because the post office is literally 6 yards from my apartment. hehe. STILL! i was productive!

5) I also went downTOWN yesterday (mmmmhmm!) to Loopy Yarns for the first time. It was overwhelming... so many possibilities to knit into realities. I ended up getting these AWESOME needle holders (which i plan on getting many more of) and circular needles. That is VERY significant because... I started making hats again! Festival of Harrrts!

6) I stumbled upon a shoe store I'd never heard of in my life on State called Akira... turns out they sell TOMS... mmhmm curiosity piqued. Turns out they sold these:

Emily Dickenson TOMS

I pretty much took it as a sign from Jesus. They were sold out FOREVER online and I had wanted these for like EVER so... yes... Jesus was in the MIX. and they're on my feet. right now.

7) Argo. Where I got a free drink that was supposed to be small but he gave me a medium. RIGHT?! awesome.

8) It was WARM YESTERDAY! I wore a fleece downtown because... if you don't it'll snow because they KNOW you're not wearing a coat. I was seriously sweating... more than most men. That fleece does it's job for warmth. Just sayin'

9) I felt like I was back in college. The... 10 square block area on State and all perpendicular streets til Randolph is swarming with college kids. I mean it makes sense it's home to DePaul, Robert Morris, Columbia AND Roosevelt's dorm rooms and classes. So I pretty much felt RIGHT at home. It was kinda of... GREAT. I even passed some cross country boys on the corner of Congress and Wabash. only in the city... <3

10) I met my mommy on the train and we rode home togethers!

My original plan was to go to Loopy and head on down to Blicks and Old Navy but I got sidetracked by the awesome shoes and that was the END of my purchases after the shoes haha. It ended up being way more awesome of a day than i expected, and it was nice to spend time with my mommy! yay for good daysss... makes me wanna do a dance. like bag the leaves or... something that includes fist pumping in a horizontal motion.

... I just thought of a few more reasons...

11) I did NOT go to Forever 21 when I was downtown. I don't think you understand how miffed it makes me to see people go ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN only to go to Forever freaking 21, which is also conveniently located in EVERY MALL in America. So dumb

12) I got in the back of 2 (count them TWO) strangers photos! I am happy for them to see those...

the low down on the line up

I keep calling this month the Festival of Hats and art. The festival of Harts haha. Well the hats thing is cuz of the overwhelming requests of knit hats since my first endevour soon to be my second-first endevour ha. And art because... we'll let me show you what's happenin!

Othello by the Joffrey Ballet this Saturday. I'm so glad you can't see me typing this because I'm giddier than a 5 year old getting to see Dora the Explorer for the first time. The words "THE JOFFREY BALLET" keep repeating over and over and my ears go fuzzy. I might actually pee my pants. I might bring an extra pair.

Cheap Paper Making Class on the 25th at Columbia - I'm being adventurous! and making paper in rain boots and an apron all day on a Sunday. Sweet.

INGRID FREAKING (BUH-FREAKING!!) MICHAELSON on the 26th. I'm not going with anyone though people I know will be there. I'm SO excited to see her! It's *in a sing-songy voice* awwwwsoooooome!

And while I know this isn't important I'm also getting Aurelio's next week! I've been waiting for it like I've been waiting for Caramel Apple Pops (which I have FINALLY attained) so this is pretty GREAT.

Oh, and Happy Hisperitage Month! (Hispanic Heritage hahaha) : )

my entire family does this

when my brother was 15 he sat in front the t.v. and copied down Macaulay Culkin's entire bathroom/bathrobe scene on an index card while play/pausing on the VHS. Almost 20 years later here I sit in front of my computer on Hulu pausing and playing a scene from Community and copying it down on a giant musical note shaped... note pad. We don't change much. It stays within the fam and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Donde? Esta? La Biblioteca?

Me llamo T-bone, la aranja discoteca

Discoteca, muneca, la biblioteca

Es un bigote grande, perro, monteca

Monteca, bigote, gigante, pequeno

Cabeza es nieve, cervesa es bueno

Buenos - dias, me gusta papas frias

Bigote de la cabra es Cameron Diaaaz

Boi!

Love it.

Let's move on from that though eh? Let's. I finally finished the hat. I might remake the hat. As it turns out the yarn was really REALLY soft and supposed to be knit on smaller needles so it revolted a little bit. It's gorgeous. I've got some ways to revamp it though. Make the brim smaller so it'll actually FIT. I had to put it away though I couldn't look at it, I was so frustrated.

On the upside of things, I've gotten requests for that particular hat from... 6 people! yay. I've made a baby hat and I'm working on additional hats. P.s. Knit is getting off the ground... like... hovercraft height haha but it's off the ground! As my niece enjoys shouting out at random times: Progression!

The Baby Beanie